How to drain a clogged hot water heater

Are use clear vinyl hose couple to a garden hose then air behind water and a Y with a ball valves on it to help ensure I have proper drainage

[rlcarbo]

Great video. Thank you. It gave me good ideas. Please allow to add to your idea (Consider pinning to top of comments if you find this comment worthy):

There is a unit that can be purchased (relatively cheep), which can connect your air compressor hose, to your water tank drain faucet. This will eliminate the need for a vacuum hose (as shown in this video). These units are used to blow out water lines on RV.s, in order to winterize an RV.

The one I bought is linked below. If you buy another, be sure it includes an ability to connect to a threaded faucet outlet (female ended). There are many of these that are “male” ended only; which makes sense for an RV, but not for a hot water tank.

The one unit linked below has its own ball valve. With that in-line valve you can do the following for safer short bursts of air into the water tank:

With the valve closed on your water tank, the in-line valve closed on the “winterizing” unit (linked below), and with the unit connected between your HW tank and you air compressor (Plus the air compressor tank pressurized) ...
1) open the in-line valve to charge the air line with compressed air
2) close the in-line valve,
3) then open the tank drain valve to discharge the air into the tank.

This not only blows a short bust into you HW tank, it also prevents the possibility for water to flow back into your compressor air lines and into you air compressor tank. Plus, this short burst is safer, in that the amount of air introduced into your water tank is limited to what is in the air line. It is even safer if you start with your air compressor’s regulator set to a low pressure.

To be totally safe, there are more steps to consider; such as, relieving pressure by opening a hot water faucet valve in your house. You are ultimately responsible for your own actions and my statements should not be misconstrued as advice; I am not a professional.

Let me add that using a water hose to back flush your tank’s drain valve, is an alternative to air. A washing machine hose (which has two female ends) can be used to connect a regular garden hose to your tank’s drain valve. You should also take measures to relieve tank pressure when performing this method.

[fredost]

Alot easier to buy a 3/4 in full port drain valve and swap it while the tank is full and airlocked. I had your problems, and removed the old drain valve and put in the full port valve. Got a ton of sediment out during flush. The garden hose is more likely to clog than the full port valve.

[saileencruileen]

Thanks. Very useful info. Gonna go drain the heater for the first time.

[frank_III]

Maybe add a filter on the inbound water line to your tank?

[treces]

Are you going between the shop vac and compressed air at the y?

[vasidee]

i have two water heaters; one got drained every year, lasted 9 years. The other one never been drained - lasted 15 years....u do the math